Chapter 80 The Time of the Grand Wedding

As night deepened, lanterns lit up the moon, colorful lights adorned the entire capital city. Especially the Qiu residence was brilliantly illuminated with red lanterns up and down, adding an extra touch of radiance to the already prosperous capital. Huge fireworks rose brilliantly in the night sky, blooming into a magnificent flower, making the stars and moon lose their luster at this moment.

Red candles flickered on windows pasted with the character for “double happiness”, casting dancing shadows of people. The entire room was filled with red curtains, setting off Yue Guanyi’s wedding clothes beautifully. The gold-embroidered soft gauze seemed to shimmer with flowing gold. Only a small section of fingertips was exposed, with a pair of red coral and green jade bracelets on the wrists. The coral red as dripping blood made his wrists appear as white as jade, as pure as the moon. He tightly fiddled with the jade belt at his waist, revealing the barely contained nervousness of the person under the veil.

Qiu Shuzhi slowly walked in and lifted the red veil embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, with four corners hanging pearls from the East Sea. In an instant, it was like colorful clouds obscuring the bright moon had dispersed, revealing exquisite beauty.

The thick hair like a waterfall was tied into a bun, with the rest of the black hair lightly hanging behind. The tied-up hair was adorned with a gilded vine-patterned red jade lotus flower crown, with gold filigree diamond flowers surrounding the red jade. The intricate and complex crown made Yue Guanyi appear less cold and otherworldly than usual. Yue Guanyi, who usually wore almost no makeup, also applied light makeup on this day. Especially a stroke of red at the corner of the eyes added a touch of charm befitting a groom.

Seeing that Qiu Shuzhi had not spoken for a long time, Yue Guanyi thought that his attire today was not to her liking. His ten fingers tightly intertwined, the lowered eyelashes trembled nervously, and his fingertips were even more pale and colorless.

“Qiu Niang-” The phoenix eyes glistened with a hint of unease in the flickering red candlelight. He looked up, quickly glancing at Qiu Shuzhi’s expression.

Fortunately, it wasn’t dislike.

Qiu Shuzhi looked at the usually calm and composed Crown Prince, who was as nervous as a frightened little rabbit tonight, and felt her heart melting uncontrollably.

“Yue’er is so beautiful tonight!” She smiled, deliberately teasing him.

Yue Guanyi lowered his head, biting his lower lip with his pearly teeth, his face becoming redder and redder, as if painted with a layer of madder red rouge.

Qiu Shuzhi picked up the prepared nuptial wine from the table and handed it to Yue Guanyi. Her low voice was filled with ambiguous laughter: “After drinking this nuptial wine, you will be mine from now on.”

Yue Guanyi was so embarrassed that his ears were burning red, almost melting.

There was no need to drink any nuptial wine. From the moment he first met Qiu Niang more than ten years ago, he had been hers.

Originally, their status was worlds apart. He was lowly and humble as dust, while she was like the bright moon in the sky, surrounded by stars. How could she notice him, gazing up at the moon from the gutter?

It was all because of his desperate persistence, shamelessly clinging to Qiu Niang, that he gained her favor today.

Yue Guanyi tremblingly accepted the nuptial wine. Under Qiu Shuzhi’s gaze, he slowly drank from the interlinked cups. The wine in the cup reflected his current appearance. Although he had tried his best to conceal and disguise it, the wild joy in his phoenix eyes still surged out uncontrollably.

After drinking this cup of wine, he would be Qiu Niang’s rightful man. He was her properly married primary husband. Even when they grow old in the future, he would be the only one who could share the same bed in life and the same grave in death with Qiu Niang.

Sharing the same bed in life and the same grave in death, never to be separated for all eternity.

He tilted his head back, and the slightly spicy nuptial wine slowly flowed down his throat. The stimulating potency made him, already immersed in fantasy, contract his throat and tongue. The spicy alcohol immediately surged up, and he coughed violently, covering his mouth with one hand and supporting himself on the edge of the bed with the other.

“Did you choke on it?” Qiu Shuzhi gently stroked his back as he kept coughing.

“No!”

How could he let Qiu Niang worry because he choked on such a joyous day? He hurriedly denied, though his voice was somewhat muffled by the alcohol, the voice hoarsened by alcohol like rabbit tail grass.

Suddenly he felt something pressing against the palm of his hand supporting on the edge of the bed. He picked it up and saw it was a red date.

Yue Guanyi turned his head slightly. Their wedding bed was covered with peanuts, lotus seeds, red dates, and longan, taking the homophone meaning of “having children soon”.

Qiu Shuzhi took the red date from his hand and said with a smile, “I told those servants earlier to sprinkle less, it would be uncomfortable for you to sleep at night. But they wouldn’t listen and stuffed the bed full. How are we supposed to sleep at night? Should I remove some of these?”

“No need.” Yue Guanyi grabbed her hand, the smooth and delicate skin held in his palm. His ears slightly reddened: “No need to remove them. I think it’s very good as it is.”

Not only was there no need to remove them, he wished they had sprinkled even more.

Having children soon!

Yue Guanyi was extremely excited about this clever homophone in his heart. Didn’t he want to have children soon? To conceive Qiu Niang’s child early, to continue Qiu Niang’s lineage, to win Qiu Niang’s pity and love.

Qiu Niang’s liking for him was just a temporary pleasure. Only by giving birth to children who shared flesh and blood with Qiu Niang could he truly gain Qiu Niang’s attention.

If he was fortunate enough to give birth to several daughters, even if there were other beauties in the future, Qiu Niang’s heart would surely linger on him to some extent. Thinking of the scene of himself and Qiu Niang surrounded by countless children in the future, Yue Guanyi smiled foolishly.

“What are you thinking about? You look so happy?” Qiu Shuzhi tilted her head slightly and smiled.

The candlelight cast shadows on her softly contoured profile, and her clear eyes also had a hint of warm pomegranate wine-like crimson. The corners of her thin lips curved up slightly, as gentle as the rippled spring pond water, stirred and disturbed, causing a pool of ripples, a romantic mood arising.

Yue Guanyi almost became mesmerized by the sight, and had to bite his tongue hard with his teeth to barely come back to his senses. Today was their wedding night, he was the new husband and should serve Qiu Niang… Not just today, he wanted to serve Qiu Niang day and night from now on.

Thinking of what was about to happen, an uncontrollable tingling sensation traveled from his toes all the way to his tailbone, a cool feeling gripping his heart, almost stopping his breath.

He extended his slightly trembling hands, carefully yet seemingly with courage, and took the initiative to grasp Qiu Shuzhi’s hands.

When his slightly cool ten fingers touched Qiu Shuzhi’s warm hands, it was like a piece of ice thrown into a fire basin, instantly melting into a puddle of water and then evaporated by the warmth in her eyes, becoming a transparent wisp of water vapor, soft beyond words.

But the more he tasted the feeling of being warmly cared for, the more he wanted to push his luck and get closer, wishing he could serve her gently right there, grateful for the grace she bestowed.

“Qiu Niang-” His tone was trembling almost to the point of shaking, yet because of the excessive ambiguity and intoxicating red candles, it carried a hint of allure. Such allure coming from Yue Guanyi’s mouth was like a noble flower being pulled down from its pedestal: “Qiu Niang, I… may I serve you and help you change?”

After saying this, Yue Guanyi reached out to try to untie the sash around her waist, but he was too nervous. His heart was pounding wildly and violently, and his usually nimble fingers seemed uncontrollable. He couldn’t unfasten a single knot no matter how he tried, and instead tied it even tighter into a dead knot.

Yue Guanyi lowered his head so much it was almost buried in his chest, not daring to look up at Qiu Shuzhi’s expression.

Qiu Shuzhi laughed softly, grasping his hand in return, and said gently, “Are you in such a hurry?”

“Serve… serve…” Yue Guanyi’s ears were red as blood, deeply regretting his actions just now. He only wanted to serve Qiu Niang well, but forgot that on such a joyous day, the new husband should be reserved, letting the wife-master lead in bed matters.

His behavior just now showed no trace of the dignity of a prince from the royal family, but rather like a courtesan raised in a brothel, eager to cling to a woman.

Yue Guanyi was full of remorse, biting his lower lip until it nearly lost color. This must be how Qiu Niang saw him too. Otherwise, why would she say he was in a hurry? How could a man behave as he did just now?

He almost didn’t dare to look into Qiu Shuzhi’s eyes, fearing to see even a hint of displeasure in them. But the more he feared, the more he despised and belittled himself in his heart.

Why, even though he had left the brothel for over a decade, did he behave like a fawning slave in front of Qiu Niang, disregarding all propriety and shame, only wanting to kneel at her feet in the most degrading posture, crying and begging for her favor and pity?

Despicable! Despicable! Yue Guanyi wished he could pull out the gold hairpin from his head and stab his heart viciously a couple of times.

“Overthinking again?” Qiu Shuzhi lifted his chin, forcing him to raise his head and look at her.

A pair of glittering phoenix eyes, twinkling with starlight, a stroke of red at the corners, like spring water reflecting peach blossoms, rippling with emotion. Only a hint of red indicating distress in his eyes made her heart clench.

He was indeed overthinking and torturing himself again.

Qiu Shuzhi didn’t say much. After all, it was their wedding night. She simply leaned forward, one hand pulling his collar, the other supporting the back of his head, her slender fingers threading through his hair, her lips and tongue kissing him gently.

Yue Guanyi’s whole body stiffened at her sudden action, but soon the faint fragrance from Qiu Shuzhi’s body reached his nose. The scent he had longed for day and night, like an aphrodisiac, instantly made his stiff body melt.

He closed his eyes, feeling the soft sweetness in his mouth, his body as soft as a dodder flower clinging to her sleeve, as if grasping the only support, unwilling to let go. He licked between her lips and teeth, intoxicated in his heart, oblivious to all else.

As the long, deep kiss ended, Yue Guanyi felt as if all the air in his lungs had been emptied. He leaned softly against her, his face flushed with an ambiguous tide of red, more intoxicating than rouge.

“On our wedding night, in this beautiful moment, let your wife serve you, Your Highness.” She rested against his shoulder, her thin lips by his ear, her low, soft voice exhaling like orchids. Each word she uttered seemed to tickle his heart like a light feather, making his whole body tremble.

Qiu Shuzhi pulled down the bed curtains on both sides, the thin red gauze creating an even more warm and intimate atmosphere, as if even the air was intoxicatingly peach blossom-colored.

She effortlessly undid the jade belt on his waist. The red robe slowly opened, revealing the light pink inner garment and the delicate lines of his collarbone. Red clothes against snow-white skin, like remnant snow burning in a blazing fire.

Qiu Niang……

The wild heartbeat drummed frantically in his chest, as if about to burst through all barriers, making him unable to control the urge to scream and shout. His chest heaved violently with his frantically beating heart.

A pair of jade hands parted his collar, tracing over his long, slender neck, like frozen snow gliding over blooming red plum blossoms.

On his collarbone

“Mmm…” A tingling sensation spread, and Yue Guanyi let out a muffled groan. His phoenix eyes were brimming with misty tears. How could he be so sensitive, becoming like this just from Qiu Niang’s fingers brushing across the skin of his neck?

Qiu Shuzhi chuckled softly, her warm kiss falling on the side of his ear.

Yue Guanyi bit his lower lip hard, the rouge-like lip color almost biting through to draw blood, trying not to make the vulgar sounds that only brothel courtesans would make.

As Qiu Shuzhi kissed her lowly, she undid the inner ties of his undergarment. The clothes merged with the red curtains, only the wide sleeves barely covering his wrists, revealing the beauty that a man in a female-dominated society would only show before his wife-master.

Without the protection of clothes, as his skin came into contact with the warm air within the bridal chamber, Yue Guanyi’s whole body shivered. His intoxicated gaze towards Qiu Shuzhi had a moment of clarity.

“Don’t!” He called out to stop her, but it was too late.

Qiu Shuzhi’s hand had already touched the characters carved on his chest, which were evidence of his past in a brothel and his entry into the lowly register. Even though he had only carved half of it, salvaging it into the character ‘shu’, the shadow of the past was deeply branded in his heart. The lowly status and slave mentality were also etched in his heart.

He didn’t want Qiu Shuzhi to see such a shameful mark, thinking he could hide it with his clothes, and she wouldn’t notice.

But Yue Guanyi had overestimated his composure when facing Qiu Shuzhi. He seemed born to serve and please Qiu Shuzhi. Just a slight smile from Qiu Niang could make him forget himself with happiness, and a kiss would make him forget even to breathe. He could give up wealth, power, and even his life. He lived for her, letting her do as she pleased, not even knowing when his clothes had been undone.

Qiu Shuzhi’s hand gently caressed the character ‘shu’.

“Don’t, it’s dirty!” Yue Guanyi said with tears in his phoenix eyes, filled with shame and anger.

“This ‘shu’ character is dirty?” she asked calmly.

“No!” Yue Guanyi shook his head, the red jade on his gold crown swaying like a red shadow, within which an inconspicuous tear slid down.

How could Qiu Niang be dirty? He was the dirty one!

His voice was suppressed and trembling as he revealed everything from his past.

“Qiu Niang, my virginity mark was gone when they pulled down my collar and carved characters on my body. The skin and flesh of the virginity mark were dug out by the brothel madam’s knife…”

Suddenly, his whole body trembled, almost shaking as he grabbed her hand, pleading: “Although the virginity mark is gone, my body is clean. What those people said was all false. Qiu Niang, I haven’t been touched by other women. You… you…”

Please don’t despise me!

Yue Guanyi’s eyes were filled with heavy sorrow, but the humble plea for her not to despise him could never be uttered.

Even though the virginity mark was gone, his experience in the brothel was real, his tainted reputation was real. Based on his past experiences alone, what right did he have to beg Qiu Niang not to despise him?

He despised himself immensely, hating his past experiences like a madman, killing everyone in the brothel, not even sparing the customers who had visited there.

Yet he didn’t want to change his past experiences. Although it was as humiliating and unbearable as hell, it was in that endless hell that he met the godlike Qiu Niang. Qiu Niang was his salvation, his everything, his entire reason for living.

Suddenly he raised his head, his phoenix eyes showing an almost sickly red amidst the glistening tears due to extreme excitement.

“If Qiu Niang doesn’t like it, I’ll gouge it out right now. It won’t offend your eyes anymore!”

As he spoke, Yue Guanyi, as if possessed, disregarded his current naked state and was about to lift the bed curtain to find a knife to gouge out the carved characters on his body.

Qiu Shuzhi grabbed his wrist: “Don’t be silly, where would there be a knife in the bridal chamber?”

She thought this might temporarily restore some of his sanity so she could explain to him that she really didn’t mind these things.

“If there’s no knife, we can break a bowl. The porcelain shards will work just as well.” The sickness in Yue Guanyi’s eyes deepened. Qiu Shuzhi’s disgust seemed to make him taste a panic spreading from the depths of his soul, a torment indescribable in words, making him want to grasp the deity he had yearned for all his life.

The characters he had carved on his chest were extremely deep. To gouge them out would almost be like removing bone. But so what? He was willing to do anything to keep Qiu Niang.

“You…” Qiu Shuzhi gripped his wrist tightly, suddenly lowering her head to place a deep kiss on his carved characters.

Yue Guanyi’s whole body shook in shock, as if unable to believe what he was feeling. The almost sickly madness in his eyes cleared a little.

“Qiu Niang,” he murmured.

“I like this carving very much.” She gently caressed the strokes of the carving, speaking sincerely.

“Qiu Niang…” As if an all-encompassing heat wave roared from the depths of his heart, Yue Guanyi’s face turned crimson, a tear falling from the corner of his eye.

A single sentence from Qiu Shuzhi was like salvaging and redeeming him from the torment of drowning at the bottom of the sea. His very soul trembled fragilely.

“Qiu Niang, Qiu Niang, Qiu Niang,” he called her name over and over again. The madness in his eyes hadn’t diminished because of what had just happened; instead, it became more unrestrained, even his body temperature rising feverishly.

He threw himself into Qiu Shuzhi’s arms, his burning skin touching her fully clothed wedding attire, the exquisite embroidery rubbing against his soft skin.

He buried his head in the crook of Qiu Shuzhi’s neck, licking her flawless skin almost frantically. Qiu Shuzhi returned his kisses, but all this was far from enough.

Qiu Niang’s gentleness and tolerance towards him only served to provoke the evil greed hidden in his heart, indulging the insatiable beast within him to want more and more, constantly stimulating and breeding the most base and dirty thoughts from the bottom of his heart, even wanting to demand more endlessly.

“Qiu Niang… please cherish me…” He took Qiu Shuzhi’s hand, intertwining their fingers. His phoenix eyes narrowed seductively, naturally alluring. Imitating the way the top courtesan had taught him to please, his voice soft and husky, his long hair falling in front of him, the smooth black strands entangling in their tightly interlocked fingers, winding around them intimately.

Qiu Shuzhi’s gaze flickered slightly. This side of Yue Guanyi was one she had never seen before. It was as if his previous abstinence and self-control had all been a facade. Now, he seemed to have torn off his former disguise, exposing his true bewitching nature.